According to Eurogamer.net, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot spent a significant portion of a recent earnings call declaring generative AI as revolutionary for gaming as the shift from 2D to 3D. He revealed that AI has already been integrated into every development team across all Ubisoft offices worldwide. The company is advancing from prototyping to “player reality” with groundbreaking applications, building on their neo NPC announcements from 2024. Guillemot specifically mentioned progress in programming, art, and overall game quality through AI integration. More player-facing generative AI applications are expected to be revealed before the end of the year. This earnings call came shortly after Ubisoft’s temporary trading cessation, which the company attributed to auditor issues despite acquisition speculation.
The AI revolution or just hype?
Here’s the thing—every gaming executive is talking about AI right now, but Guillemot’s comparison to the 2D-to-3D shift is particularly bold. That transition fundamentally changed what games could be, from Super Mario World to Super Mario 64. But is generative AI really in that league? I’m skeptical. The publicly shown results so far—those neo NPCs—received mixed reactions, with one hands-on describing them as a solution looking for a problem rather than solving actual player needs.
Integration reality check
Guillemot says AI is now in “all our studios and offices,” which sounds impressive until you remember Ubisoft’s recent stumble. They had to apologize for an “accidental” AI-generated loading screen in Anno 117: Pax Romana. So the integration might be widespread, but the quality control? That seems to be lagging behind. It’s one thing to deploy technology everywhere—it’s another to deploy it well.
The productivity push
Now, let’s talk about what’s really driving this. When executives get this excited about technology, there’s usually a bottom-line motivation. Generative AI promises faster development cycles, cheaper content creation, and potentially smaller teams. Guillemot mentions “tangible benefits to our players and teams,” but I wonder how much of this is about cutting costs in an industry that’s seen massive layoffs. The timing here is interesting—this bullish AI stance comes as Ubisoft deals with financial pressures and trading disruptions.
Wait and see mode
Basically, we’ve heard the promises. The revolution is always coming. But until we see actual games where AI dramatically improves the experience rather than just generating more content faster, I’ll remain cautious. The real test will be whether players actually notice or care about these AI integrations. Remember when every game needed blockchain? Exactly. The industry chases trends, but players just want good games.
